Car roof



Feb. 21, 1928.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 C. D. BONSALL CAR ROOF Filed Oct. 23, 1928 I l L.

M5 fiTTOBA/EKS.

Feb. 21, 1928.

c. D. BONSALL CAR ROO Filed Oct. 23, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet Z WWI/4% Patented FebrZl, 1928. r

UNITED STATES PATENT oFF cE.

cnennnsnavrn BONSALL, orrrrrseunen, rnnnsynvnnm, ASSIGNOR Tor. H. monrny COMPANY, or new KENSINGTON,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

can noor.

' ".Application filed October 23, 1926. Serial No. 148,542.

This invention relates to car roofs and has for its principal object to produce a strong lightweight roof of simple and economical construction that is easy of application and thatwill readily adapt itself to the distortions of the car body incident to service conditions. The invention consists in the parts and in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms part of the specification and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

F ig; 1 is a plan view of a portion of a car roof embodyingmy invention;

Fig; 2 is a transverse section through onehalf of the roof on the line 2-2.in Figure 1; g

Fig. 3 is a similar section on the line 3-3 in Figure 1;

' Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the roof at the ridge on the line 4+4 in Figure 1; i w

Fig. 5 is a similar section between the ridge and side plate on the line 5--5 in Figure 1;;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken through one ofthe carlines at the ridge; and.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross-section taken through-one of the roof seams.

The present roof comprises Z-bar side plates 7 that are connected by carlines 8 of substantially inverted channel-shaped section with outwardly projecting lateral base flanges 9 at the bottoms of their side walls. The Z-bar side plates 7 are preferably arranged with their webs vertical and with theirtop flanges extending inwardly horizontally; and'the eaves end portions of the carlines rest flatwise on the inwardly projecting top flanges of saidside plates and,

have their lateral base flanges rigidly secured thereto by rivets 10.

Roof sheets 11- extend from side to side of the-carand are-supported at their eaves ends on wooden filler strips 12, which extend from carline'to carline and rest on and are secured to the top flanges of the side :plates by bolts 13. The roof sheets are provided, at their eaves ends with depending flanges 14, which overhang the webs of the side platesand terminate in the inturned drip edges that are spaced away from the webs of said side plates." The roof sheets are supported at the ridge between side plateson a ridge pole 15 and purlines 16,'

which extend longitudinally of the car beneath the carlines and are bolted to the lateral base flanges thereof.

, Each roof sheet is provided at its middle and adjacent to one side margin with a hollow upstanding stiffening rib of substantially inverted channel-shaped section; and the other sidemargin of said sheet provided with an upstanding flange whose height is slightly less than the height of the side marginal rib thereof. The middle and side marginal ribs 17 and 18, respectively, and the upstanding marginal flanges 19 of a roof sheet extend from end to endthereof and 'are of substantially uniform depth from ridge topoints adjacent to eaves where they slope downwardly and merge into the body of'said sheet at the eaves ends thereof. The

'marginal rib 18 of a sheet is spaced inwardly from the adjacent extreme marginal edge .by placing the middle rib 17 of each sheet astraddle a carline and by placing the mar ginal rib 18 of one sheet astraddle the upstanding marginal flange 19 of an adjacent sheet with the base flange 11 of said marginal rib resting flatwise on'the underlying body portion of said adjacent sheet inside the upstanding marginal flange thereof. Thesheets are rigidly secured to the carlines by means of rivets 20 that extend through the webs or tops of the carlines and the'overlapping middle ribs 17 of said sheets. As shown inthe drawing, the body portions of the sheets are dished between their middle and side marginal ribs and between said middle ribs and their side marginal flanges; that is, said body portions are inclined upwardly to where they join the base of said ribs and said flanges. This shape ofthe sheets overcomes the tendency of water to accumulate in the roof seams and at the base of the ribs and produce rust.

I Running boards 21 extend longitudinally of the car at'the ridge and rest on and are rigidly secured to the lateral top flangesof Z-shaped running board saddles 22, whose through the carlines and the sheets are enj abled'to accommodate themselves to consid lateral base flanges rest on the tops of the middle ribs17 of'the sheets and are secured in place'b-y the rivets 20 that secure said ribs to said carlines.

. The marginal base flange 11 at the lower edge of the outer wall of the overlapping marginal'rib 18 of each sheet is" held in en gagement with the underlying body portlon of an ad acent sheet by means of brace mem bers 23 that are preferably located adjacent to the purlines. As shown in the drawing, each'of said brace members comprises a strip of wood located beneath and arranged transversely of the marginal rib 18 of a sheet and of sufficient length to project beneath thebody-portionof said sheet and the sheet c0 operating therewith. The brace members 23 are suspended from the marginal ribs 18 of the sheets by means of shoulder bolts 24 that are riveted or otherwise permanently secured to'the tops of said marginal ribs substan- 'tially midway of the upstanding marginal flange 19 of a sheet and the inner wall of-the overlapping marginal rib of the sheetadjacent thereto. -The shoulder bolts 2tprojeet downwardly from the marginal ribs 18 of the sheets and have threaded end portions of reduced diameter that extend through thebrace members 23 and are'provided with nuts 25. With this arrangement, the wooden brace members operate to maintain a watertight joint between the overlapping marginal portions of adjacent sheets and, at the same time, serve to stiifen and strengthen said sheets in the region of their overlapped side margins. o

By thearrangement described, the roof sheets are loosely eonnected by weatherproofing seams or joints and are rigidly secured to the carlin'es, but are freeof the roof frame at all other points. Thus, in case of the distortion of the car frame, movement of said frame is transmitted" to the roof sheets erable distortion of the car frame without lnjury. The sheets are greatly strengthened towithstand vertical loads by the hollow stiffening ribs; and the loose weatherproofng seams, which permit independent sluing movement of the sheets, are stiflened and rendered water-tight by the transverse braces that bear'against the body portions of the I sheets on opposite sides of said joi'nts.

, 55 rangement admits of considerable modifica- Obviously, the'hereinbefore described artion without departing from the invention;

therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the precise arrangement shown and described.

What I claim 1s: 1. A car roof'comprising side plates connected by earlines, and roof sheets extending from side plate to side plate, each of said sheets being providednear itsymiddle and ad acent to one side margin with a-hollow themarginalflange of an adjacent stiffening rib and at its opposite margin with anupstanding flange, each of said sheets being arranged with its middle rib astraddle a v adjacent to one side margin with a hollow stiffening rib and at its opposite margin I 'with' an upstanding flange, eafch of said sheets being-arranged with its "middle'rib astraddle and rigidly secured to a carline and with its marginal rib loosely embracing the marginal flange of an adjacent sheet; 5

3. A car roof comprising side plates con- 'nected by carlines, and roof sheets extending from side plate to side plate, each of said sheets being provided near. its'middle and adjacent to one side margin witlra hollow stiifening rib and at'its opposite margin with an upstanding flange, said marginal rib being provided at the lower edge-ofrlts outer wall with an outstanding base flange, each of said sheets being arranged with itsjm'iddle rib astraddle a carline', with its marginal rib astraddle the marginal flange of an adjacent sheet and with the base flange of its marginal rib engagingthe body portion of' 's aid adjacent sheet, said sheetsbeing of awidthv adapted to locate the cooperating marginal ribs and marginal flanges thereof substantially midway of. adjacent carlines. 4. A car roof comprising side plates con nected by carlines, and roof sheets extending from side plate to side plate, each- 0f said sheets being provided near its middle and adjacent to one side margin f'with a hollow stiffening rib and at its opposite margin with i an upstanding flange, said marginal rib be ing provided at the lower edge of its outer wall with an outstanding base flange, each of said sheets being arranged with its middle astraddle the marginal flange of an adjacent sheet and with the base'fiange of-its'ma'rginal rib engaging the body portion of said adja cent sheet, and means for holding the base "flangeofthe marginal rib portion ofeach sheet down on the body portion of the sheet adjacent thereto.- 1

'- rib astraddle a ca rline, with its marginal rib 5. A car roof comprising side'plates connected by carlines, and roof sheets extending from side plate to side plate, each of said sheets being provided nearits middle and ad acent to one side margin 'with ahollow Y stiffening rib and at its opposite margin with an upstanding flange, said marginal ribbeing provided at the lower edge of its outer wall with an outstanding base flange, each of said sheets being arranged with it-gmi'ddle rib astraddle a carline, with its marginal rib astraddle the marginal flange of an adjacent sheet and with the base flange of its marginal rib engaging the body portion of said adjacent sheet, and'means for holding the base flange of the marginal rib portion of each sheet down on the body portion of the sheet adjacentthereto, said means being arranged to brace and stiffen the adjacent marginal portions of the sheets.

6. A car roof comprising side plates conmarginal rib loosely embracing the marginal.

flange of the sheet adjacent thereto, and means carried by the marginal rib of the sheet for bracing and stiffening the adjacent marginal portions of the sheets.

7. A car roof comprising side plates con nected by carlines, and roof sheets extending from side plate to side plate, each of said sheets being provided near its middle and adjacent to one side margin with a hollow stifl'ening rib and at its opposite margin with an upstanding flange, each of said sheets being arranged with its middle rib astraddle and rigidly secured to a carline andwith its marginal rib looselyembracing the marginal flange of the sheet adjacent thereto, and means for bracing and stiffening the adjacent side marginal portions of said sheets, said means comprising brace members suspended from the marginal ribs of said sheets and extending transversely thereof beneath their adjacent side marginal portions.

8. A car roof comprising side plates connected by carlines, and roof sheets extending from side plate to side plate, each ofsaid sheets being provided near its middle and adjacent to one side margin with a hollow stiflening rib and at its opposite margin with an upstanding flange, each of said sheets being arranged with its middle rib astraddle and rigidly secured to a carline and with its marginal rib loosely embracing the marginal ,versely of the marginal ribs of a sheet and flange of the sheet adjacent thereto, and

means for bracing and stifli'ening the adjacent side marginal portions of said sheets, said means comprising a series of strips arranged transversely of the marginal ribs of a sheet and extending beneath the body por- 5 tion of said sheet and the sheet adjacent thereto.

9. A car roof comprising side plates connected by carlines, and roof'sheets extending from side, plate to side plate, each of said sheets being provided near its middle and adjacent to one side margin with a hollow stifl'ening riband at itsopposite margin with an upstanding flange, each of said sheets being arranged with its middle rib astraddle and rigidly secured to a carline and with its marginal rib loosely embracing the marginal flange of the sheet adjacent thereto, a series of strips arranged transextending beneath the body portion of said sheet and the sheet adjacent thereto, and means for drawing said members tight against the under sides of said sheets.

10. A car roof comprising: side plates connected by carlines, and roof sheets extending from side plate to side plate, each of said sheets being provided near its middle and adjacent to one side margin with a hollow stiffening rib and at its opposite margin with an upstanding flange, each of said sheets being arranged with its middle rib astraddle and rigidly secured to a carline and with its marginal rib loosely embracing the marginal flange of the sheet adjacent thereto, a series of strips arranged transversely of the marginal ribs of said sheets and extending beneath adjacent body portions thereof, and means, for drawing said members tight against the under sides of adj acent' sheets, said tightening means comprisingshoulder bolts fixed to the marginal ribs of said sheets and having depending portions that extend through said members and are threaded to receive nuts.

Signed at New Kensington, Pa., this 18th day of October, 1926.

CHARLES DAVID BONSALL. 

